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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29609382">edge of the future</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azurelitestar/pseuds/Azurelitestar'>Azurelitestar</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>dawn of the sentinels [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, aka me exploring a very self-indulgent AU setting haha, heavy spoilers for 13 Sentinels, pretty much destruction + analysis + remembrance modes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 16:31:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,955</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29609382</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azurelitestar/pseuds/Azurelitestar</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of bonus scenes for my Dimilix 13 Sentinels AU. Contains heavy spoilers.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Felix Hugo Fraldarius</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>dawn of the sentinels [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2175381</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. destruction (felix)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Considering this is loosely based off a scene that takes place in the 13 Sentinels' prologue section it's not very heavy on the spoilers but the end notes *does* contain heavy spoilers, so do avoid that if you do not want to be spoiled.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Heads up, Fe!"</p><p>Felix jolts. Before he can respond, another Sentinel dives in, tackling the Demonic Beast that had been heading for him away. They crash into multiple buildings nearby, toppling them over and reducing them to flames and carnage.</p><p>When the smoke clears, he sees through the holographic visuals the other Sentinel raising to its feet, cranking and whirring at it throws a peace sign in his way. Felix has no idea how to respond to that.</p><p>"Whew, that was a close one," Sylvain's voice echoes through the comms, and another blue panel displaying his face, smug toothy grin and all, shows up in the front of Felix's eyes, overlaying where the Sentinel is supposed to be standing. "Can't have you dying on us now, can we? You should be grateful I came here just in time to save your sorry butt, you little ass."</p><p>Scratch that – Felix does know how to respond to that.</p><p>"You're the ass around here," he barks.</p><p>Sylvain laughs. "Aw man, it sure is great to hear you call me that," he says. "It just... I dunno, it feels like it's been a long time since you've been yourself, y'know?"</p><p>The mood mellows, and with it, so did Felix's spark of irritation. He takes in the sight of Sylvain in his Sentinel and the motionless kaiju on the ground, and bites the inside of his cheek. "Sylvain... Why—"</p><p>"Why are you so surprised?" Sylvain cuts him off nonchalantly. "This thing's supposed to be my Sentinel, ain't it?" He lets out a light-hearted sigh. "Seriously, Felix, I wish you'd just told me instead of just stabbing me like that. We're friends, after all, aren't we? You know I would've been on your side."</p><p>"Sylvain..."</p><p>"Look, I get it, it hasn't been easy for you." Sylvain flashes him a wry, understanding smile. "But that's exactly what friends are for. Right?"</p><p>Felix's eyes widen slightly. He wonders, briefly, how he's appearing to Sylvain now, through the window of the holograms, because Felix has no idea what kind of expression he's making.</p><p>"...Right," he replies.</p><p>"Right!" Sylvain winks. "So now that we've established that, as the more sensible one out of the two of us, I want you to fall back."</p><p>"What," Felix says. "You can't just decide that on your own. I'll keep on fighting."</p><p>"Not in that sorry piece of work, you're not," Sylvain tells him. "You're going to get forcefully shoved out of your Sentinel and end up surrounded by kaiju, at the rate you're going. We can't afford for you to fall in such a stupid way like that."</p><p>Felix falls silent.</p><p>"...I know," he mutters, mostly to himself. "The Aegis system—"</p><p>"Dumbass," Sylvain snaps, giving him a rare disapproving frown. "You know that's not the point here."</p><p>Felix inhales.</p><p>Sylvain continues, after composing himself, "This has nothing to do with the Sentinels. Or our Crests. Or your connection to the Aegis system." He pauses. "You're my best friend, Felix. Is it really that hard to understand?"</p><p>Oh, Felix thinks, starting to grasp that he does. It's the same with Sylvain, he realises. With Annette. With his newfound comrades. Even with the cat he had named Boar who had been the source of Felix’s misery for a time.</p><p>With Dimitri.</p><p>He just hasn't considered the same can be said of himself.</p><p>"Sheesh, Felix," says Sylvain, looking as though he would’ve slapped his own forehead already if he could, "you can be real sharp at times, but at any other time you can be a total numbskull, you know."</p><p>Felix flinches. "Wha—"</p><p>"Ingrid thinks so too. Right Ingrid?"</p><p>"I think you're both idiots," Ingrid chimes in flatly as her Sentinel comes gliding into view, her arm-mounted plasma laser cannon raised and ready. "There're still some kaiju up ahead, in case you two haven't noticed."</p><p>"See?" Sylvain says, merrily.</p><p>Felix can only let out a sigh.</p><p>"Seriously, Fe," Sylvain continues. "You gotta fall back. Leave this area to us for now. Ingrid and I can have a handle of things until you're ready to join us."</p><p>"And don't worry, I'll make sure he doesn't get to soak up all the glory and gloat in your face about it," Ingrid says, cracking a small smile. "Besides, I highly doubt he'd be able to, considering this is his maiden battle and all. For all we know, you'll probably already be back on the field before we're even halfway through."</p><p>"Hey! It's Felix's maiden battle, too!"</p><p>"Let's go," Ingrid promptly shuts down Sylvain's protests as her face disappears from the screen. Her Sentinel starts taking off.</p><p>"Hey wait Ingrid—! Gah, fine. Be that way. Felix," Sylvain looks to Felix, meeting his eyes, "I'm gonna have to go backup Ingrid now. Make sure you fall back into an area that's clear of kaiju, okay? I'm serious. We're all gonna make it out of this alive. Including you. Got it?"</p><p>Make it out alive.</p><p>That's right. That's why Felix had committed all those acts, before. That's why he had kept going along with Boar's requests, no matter how outrageous they had seemed at that time, never strayed from the path that Boar had paved for him. The same path that Felix had cut through himself.</p><p>It was all so that they would have a fighting chance to live through the onslaught.</p><p>They will survive this. They have to.</p><p>Otherwise, everything Felix had done would’ve amounted to nothing.</p><p>Felix stares at the display of his friend, and allows himself a smile.</p><p>"Fine," he huffs. "Someone's still gotta help Ingrid watch your flimsy ass, I guess."</p><p>"I don't wanna hear that from you!"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>- Yeah with the game mentioning the word "Aegis" everywhere this + the whole forming a deal with a cat thing solidified my whole reason for writing this AU and focusing a lot on Felix lol</p><p>- I took a looooot of liberties with the 13 Sentinels' various elements with this setting. Like. A lot. For example, I have Felix here who has a connection with the terminals - basically he's the only one who can activate the Aegis System before Boar helped improve on that. The recoding that Boar did to the nanomachines helps the characters in this fic setting now have access to the Aegis System as well as the terminals and the meta-system. This lets them activate Aegis without Felix having to be near the terminals, so Felix is able to fight on the frontlines if needed, on top of all of the characters now having access to the terminals' other supportive capabilities instead of the access being limited to Felix. This is why Boar needed Felix's help and couldn't seek out anyone else</p><p>- Speaking of Boar I was honestly torn between naming him Zoltan (as a reference to Dimitri and Felix's B support) or Boar (to foreshadow that Boar is actually Dimitri from a previous loop) but because Zoltan Industries makes more sense as the Shikishima Industries in this setting (being weapon manufacturers and all) I decided to go with Boar in the end, which is also more symbolic imo. It's also to make fun of Felix's naming sense (like what kind of name is Boar like srsly)</p><p>- I can finally say this: Ingrid is here!! I didn't manage to include her in the oneshot because it was heavy enough as it was, but I just had to mention her somewhere so here she is! She's from 1185 i.e. Sector 5 in this setting. It's a reference to the war period in Fodlan, similar to 13 Sentinels.</p><p>- On a side note, here are where the respective Crest bearers/Sentinel pilots are from:<br/>Sector 1 (1345): Lysithea, Lorenz, Constance<br/>Sector 2 (1305): Dimitri, Claude, Hilda, Balthus<br/>Sector 3 (1265): Felix, Annette, Bernie<br/>Sector 4 (1225): Byleth (not the Professor), Linhardt, Sylvain, Marianne, Hapi<br/>Sector 5 (1185): Edelgard, Ferdinand, Ingrid, Mercie, Yuri</p><p>...I think if you already know 13 Sentinels' plot you know where I'm going with the characters who are non-Crest bearers.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. remembrance (dimitri)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This has VERY heavy spoilers for Juro's lategame story (the chapter and the end notes both), so if you have not played up till that point/are intending to play and do not want to be spoiled, please feel free to leave the page right now.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dimitri lowers his head. Below him, the screams and shrieks of frantic people fill the streets. Tremors sweep through the earth as the colossal beasts roam about the land, their steps heavy and purposeful as they ravage the place Dimitri has learned to call home.</p><p>Glass shatters. Buildings crumble. Fires start breaking out everywhere.</p><p>He clenches his fists. Unclenches. Then, he lifts one of his hands.</p><p>"Not even going to bother to say goodbye?"</p><p>Dimitri recoils as he swerves towards his left where Glenn's translucent figure is standing, instinctively withdrawing his arm.</p><p>"Glenn!" Dimitri exhales. "Please, don't startle me like that. I think I've already had more than my fair share of surprises from you as it is."</p><p>"I believe you can at least handle one more," Glenn says, smirking at him. He looks so much like Felix it's almost uncanny.</p><p>Sometimes Dimitri wishes Felix can smile so openly like that as well. Then he recalls the reason why he doesn't, and the disappointment starts rolling about the pits of his stomach.</p><p>No, Dimitri thinks, stopping himself.  No more of that. There’s nothing he can do about what’s happened in the past, now.  He has to move forward. He can only move forward.</p><p>"What’s got you all stone-faced now?" Glenn asks.</p><p>"Ah, well… It’s nothing worth mentioning," Dimitri replies, looking to Glenn. There’s no point in discussing things like that anymore. "…You know, I've always been meaning to ask." Dimitri scans over Glenn from head to toe, taking the sight of him in in entirety. "Why, out of anybody's appearance you could've taken, did you choose something close to Felix's likeness?"</p><p>"Hmm," Glenn hums, a knowing glint in his eye, "are you sure you want to know the answer to that?"</p><p>"On second thought, forget I asked," Dimitri mumbles. "I have an odd feeling that it's going to be embarrassing."</p><p>Glenn responds with a laugh.</p><p>"So," he says, leaning against the edge, "it's finally time."</p><p>Dimitri blinks. Directs his attention back to the mayhem once more, and his brows furrow. "Yes," he says. "It is."</p><p>"Then you know what needs to be done," Glenn continues, his tone melancholic. "Isn't that right?"</p><p>"I do," Dimitri affirms, his frown deepening. He turns back towards Glenn's static figure. "But... Is this really alright with you?"</p><p>"Of course it isn't," Glenn scoffs. "You know better than anyone by now that, if given the chance, I would want to see through this to the very end myself." Then, his expression softens. "But this is how fate chooses to play its hand and I've accepted it, like how you've come to accept yours."</p><p>"...Even knowing what will happen to you after this?" Dimitri murmurs.</p><p>Glenn nods, resolution burning bright in his electrical blue eyes. "Even then," he replies. "After all, I swore to myself that I would do whatever it takes, as long as all of you survive this. If not being able to get another chance to talk to you or Felix like this for the rest of eternity is part of it, then I'd gladly go through with it. Besides," his smile widens, "you've got all of my memories with you now, right? So it's fine."</p><p>"Glenn..."</p><p>Another shockwave interrupts them. More and more screams fill the air. The mechanical roar of the monsters thunders through the area, but it is soon put to a stop by a stream of rockets launching straight into them, causing them to explode.</p><p>"As Felix would probably say, I think I've yammered enough," Glenn chuckles. "Byleth's a natural for a first-timer, but she's not gonna be able to handle that many of them alone." He closes his eyes. "And I'm starting to sense the others activating their Sentinels in other locations, too. You're going to need each other's help to pull through this. All of you."</p><p>Dimitri nods gravely. "Right."</p><p>"Now, go," Glenn says, "and don't ever look back. The path to the future is in front of you now. The only way for all of you to move forward is to defend the present." He gives a rueful smile. "After all, it's the only one we have left."</p><p>And then, before Dimitri can say anything else, he vanishes.</p><p>He will probably never appear before Dimitri again. He won’t be able to anymore, after all. In a way, it’s sad – but relieving, all at the same time.</p><p>For the longest Dimitri can remember, he has never truly been himself. Tormented by flashes of memories that were and were not his own. His mind pieced together one moment then torn apart and rebuilt the next, an act that some might have considered to be a small price to pay if it had meant securing a greater chance of saving the world. His actions, thoughts, emotions – all of them, he never once had full control over, so easily manipulated by the lies and illusions that he had so foolishly believed to be true. Even after Glenn had revealed everything to him, entrusted all of his memories to him; even after Felix’s words of acceptance and affirmation and their vow to start anew, the doubt that had been ingrained deep in Dimitri’s soul and being never went away.</p><p>But now, in the face of what’s to come, having heard Glenn’s parting words, words that Dimitri knew had been spoken from the bottom of Glenn’s heart – he can finally proclaim his life to be his own. And he chooses to fight with his life on the line, not only because it is the rightful thing to do – but because he knows what it means, now, to be alive.</p><p>Dimitri looks to the sky. The sun has already begun to set, bleeding red into the sky as it sinks into the claws of fate, devoured by the work of time. The time that the whole of Fódlan turns into a massive battlefield for the fight for their lives, for the last possible time.</p><p>He swipes his hand across his right eye.</p><p>-<em>To the final battle-</em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>- Yeah Glenn is Shiba. So a person named Glenn, strictly speaking, does not exist in this AU (meaning Felix doesn't have a brother named Glenn) which kind of makes it hard to decide whether to tag him since he's technically Dimitri from a past loop who goes by the name Glenn when interacting with the Dimitri of the current loop. Seeing that the Analysis mode in the game itself doesn't refer to Shiba as Kyuta Shiba but rather by his real name Juro Izumi (with the loop specified) I decided not to put in the Glenn character tag in the end.</p><p>- Which means, yes, if I ever write Dimitri's POV/story it would have Dimitri figuring out the mystery behind Glenn's existence and what it means for him when he realises the truth. Felix would definitely be involved but Dimitri spends a significant amount of the story trying to avoid Felix because he has nightmares of killing Felix (like how Juro had a nightmare of killing Megumi explaining his anxiety around her)</p><p>- There is a lot of deliberate word choice/phrasing here and there ;)</p><p>- I didn't mention this in the oneshot I posted but I had Dimitri's activation key placed in his right eye for obvious reasons. He's not wearing an eyepatch here since most of the characters are in their academy era appearances but he actually can't see out of his right eye. In this AU setting it's because his synch test with the Sentinel in 1305 went terribly wrong and his right eye became injured and blinded as a result. After he lost his memories, he was told by Byleth and Claude that he had injured his eye in a car accident instead</p><p>- Speaking of Byleth, yes the Byleth mentioned here is the present loop Byleth. She's not entirely the Iori or Morimura of this AU setting, however, despite how it looks like.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. operation aegis (ensemble)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Major spoilers for what Operation Aegis entails in 13 Sentinels. A lot of creative licensing is also involved in how the Aegis System works in this particular AU setting.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"So here's the plan," Claude begins, once they've all dismounted.</p><p>The strategy, based off the knowledge he's armed himself with, is simple. The kaiju – or the Demonic Beasts, as some of them would know them by – have only one aim, and that is to breach and enter the mainframe of the underground gate through the access points scattered all over Fódlan known as the terminals. By doing so, they effectively shut the entire Sector down and destroy the world as they know it, forcing everything to reset to the very beginning where the cycle would simply repeat itself, over and over, stuck in a neverending loop.</p><p>The world has, in fact, already been destroyed and reborn from the ashes for hundreds of times, and the kaiju's mode of operation has remained the same throughout all those times.</p><p>"Wait. Are you saying... this isn't the first time something like this has happened?" Annette asks.</p><p>"It isn't," Byleth confirms, her tone even. "The data that's stored in that underground gate alone proves it. Unfortunately, this isn't the time to delve into all of the details. Those of us who know can fill in the rest who don't along the way. Claude?"</p><p>"Right." Claude folds his arms, a rare forlorn expression on his face. "So you know these Sentinels that all of us here have been found to be compatible with? They were built to destroy and wipe out all of the kaiju before they can get to the terminals. That's what we have to be striving for this time, too, and with these many pilots now the odds have greatly turned in our favour. We can actually afford to bump up our defences, now, which we couldn't do before."</p><p>"Effectively we'll need to split into two teams," Edelgard continues from where Claude has left. She, along with Claude, are among the few who have had actual command experience on the field in the fight against the kaiju that once invaded their respective Sectors. "We will require one team to form the line of defence around the terminals to allow for the strike team to focus on the battle efforts on the frontlines. This way, the defence squad can prioritise protecting the terminals against the kaiju that will be actively trying to burrow their way underground in order to access the terminals."</p><p>"Why can't all of us be fielded on the frontlines?" Sylvain questions. "I mean, don't get me wrong, defence is important. But wouldn't it be easier if we can take out all the kaiju before they start burrowing at all?"</p><p>Something in Dimitri's expression flickers at that, but he nevertheless remains silent.</p><p>It is Edelgard who answers. "I'm afraid that might not be possible, Sylvain. Lysithea and Constance have run the calculations. The kaiju are being mass produced at an exceedingly alarming rate, even as we speak. Even if we do field all of the pilots we have at hand now, the production of the kaiju will only scale accordingly until we're all eventually overwhelmed."</p><p>"On that note," Byleth adds, "we also can't afford to keep on fighting in our Sentinels for too long." She throws a split-second glance in Dimitri's direction before looking back to Sylvain. "You felt it earlier, didn't you? I heard you mentioning something about the back of your head itching."</p><p>"What does that have to do with piloting the Sentinels?"</p><p>"Very much so," Lysithea says. "To cut the long explanation short, piloting a Sentinel means putting a massive amount of pressure on the brain. If you overdo it even just a little, you’d be considered lucky if you manage to get away with some headaches and visual disturbances. In really severe cases, you can lose all of your memories and turn into an empty husk. That is, if you're fortunate enough to survive the neurological damage at all."</p><p>"W-what?" Bernadetta squeaks. "N-nobody said it'd be anything as dangerous as that!"</p><p>"That being said, there is a way to circumvent this," Lysithea continues nonchalantly. "All of the Sentinels have an operating limit. As long as we transmit out once that operating limit is reached, we can allow our minds to recover from the neurological load sustained from piloting. That's where our strategy in the deployment of our two teams will come into play."</p><p>"So basically, we just need to take turns fighting." Yuri shrugs. "Sounds simple enough. ...A little too simple, however, if I may say so."</p><p>"Nothing gets past ya, huh?" Claude laughs. "Well, see, once we engage an incoming wave... we might not get a chance switch out. There won't be enough time to. The Demonic Beasts will only just keep on coming. So those on the frontlines will just have to grin and bear it until we manage to wipe them all out. Or, until our last resort manages to kick in."</p><p>"'Last resort'?" Ferdinand parrots. "But isn't that what the Sentinels are for? The last line of defence we have against the Demonic Beasts?"</p><p>"...You're talking about the Aegis System," Felix mutters from where he is, staring at the ground. He can feel nearly everybody's eyes on him. "Isn't that right?"</p><p>Byleth stares unblinkingly at him. "That's right," she affirms, and at her words a handful of the pilots dive into a commotion.</p><p>"Impossible," Lorenz's voice rings the loudest and the clearest. "That system is supposed to be inaccessible. Why, Lysithea and Constance tried every means possible to hack into it and we still never managed to activate it when the Demonic Beasts invaded 1345!"</p><p>"...Neither did we, in 1185," Edelgard murmurs.</p><p>Annette frowns. "Is that... how my time got destroyed as well?" She grips onto her own hand, almost in prayer. "My parents and friends, all gone... Because nobody could get the 'last resort' thing to activate?"</p><p>"Oh, Annie," Mercedes sighs, reaching out to rest her own hand over Annette's.</p><p>"Waaaaait a minute," Hilda cuts in. "Claude, you're from 1305, too! You know just as well as some of us do that the stupid Aegis thing can't be activated, no matter what we do. Which means..."</p><p>"No way," Lysithea gasps. She marches up to Claude. "You found a way to get through it?!"</p><p>"Not me," Claude admits, his lips curling into a knowing smirk as he tilts his head towards Dimitri, his eyes darting between him and Felix. "Though you can say that this guy did."</p><p>Lysithea turns her attention to Dimitri instead. "How?! You have to tell me, right this instant!"</p><p>"Uh, well," Dimitri finally speaks for the first time since they've convened. He looks to Felix, who lends his aid by ignoring him, so he sighs and tugs at the collar of his shirt. "I... suppose you can say it was simply the work of fate at hand that paved the way."</p><p>The response to this is mixed. Most are obviously confused, not knowing what to make of his choice of words. A select few look mildly surprised, but visibly amused to different extents.</p><p>While Felix looks about ready to stab holes into him with his piercing, frigid glare alone. "What," he says.</p><p>Dimitri blinks. Meets Felix's eyes. "What?" Dimitri echoes back.</p><p>"What kind of fucking answer is that," Felix seethes.</p><p>Now it is Dimitri's turn to join in the confusion. "What do you mean?" he asks, frowning slightly. "I only spoke the truth."</p><p>"You can't just – say it like that," Felix replies waspishly, shaking his head. "It – It doesn't even make any sense! Nor does it even answer the question! Are you listening to yourself?"</p><p>"Oh." Dimitri bashfully turns to Lysithea. "Is that true? I apologise, if that's the case. What I had meant to say was—"</p><p>"No, no, it's fine," says Lysithea, waving it off. She steals a glance in Felix's direction. "I think I understand what's going on, here."</p><p>"You do?" Dimitri says, sounding pleasantly surprised.</p><p>"You do, huh," Felix mutters darkly, almost at the same time.</p><p>Lysithea looks at them for a little while longer and gives a slow, careful nod. "Yes, I think I do." She then turns back to Claude, looks to Edelgard, then back at Claude again, her features turning into a frown. "Are you sure about this?"</p><p>"Positive," Claude replies evenly. "It was how Sector 3 lasted as long as it did. And now we have the numbers and strategy for this last remaining Sector to last even longer."</p><p>"...It's not ideal," Edelgard adds, "but I'm afraid that I have to agree that it's the best possible option we have."</p><p>Lysithea takes in a breath, then releases it in a quiet sigh. "Fine," she says. "I suppose I do see your point."</p><p>"Care to explain what that 'point' is to the rest of us here?" Balthus suggests.</p><p>It is Dimitri, to most people's surprise, who does. "The kaiju's aim is to get to the underground gate via the terminals," he begins explaining, carefully piecing his words together as he filters through the different sets of memories in his head. "And up until now, we've only had the Sentinels as our effective means of defence against that. However, as proven by some of our past experiences, we cannot rely on the Sentinels forever. Naturally, one would expect that this means we have already lost the battle against the kaiju. But – as things would turn out, the terminals have actually been equipped with a self-defence mechanism of their own." For a brief moment, he meets Felix's eyes. Felix stares back, staunch and resolute, and it permeates every inch of Dimitri's being. "We call that mechanism the 'Aegis System'."</p><p>"You mean that huge electromagnetic wave that suddenly popped up out of nowhere and wiped out all those kaiju in that last area we fought in?" Hapi asks. "If the terminals always had something that effective against the kaiju, why couldn't it activate before?"</p><p>"Simply put, it's a fault that lies within the system's coding," Linhardt drawls. "Essentially it's blocking the system from recognising that the kaiju are ever a threat at all. Nothing Lysithea and I did could get rid of it. What we did find out, though, was that there's a way to access it and, oh, trick it into activating with a little bit of low-grade hacking." He pauses to yawn. "This process takes time, unfortunately, which means the terminals are completely defenceless while this is being set up. The access privileges have also been severely limited to only one person, for some reason, which means nobody except for that one person can even activate the Aegis System in the first place."</p><p>Byleth gives a faint smile. "Until now, that is," she says, looking at Felix. "Isn't that right, Felix?"</p><p>Felix glares back, then lets out a weary sigh. "We managed to find a way to remove the limitation on that access," he explains, avoiding everyone's curious looks at him. "All of us here should be able to activate it now."</p><p>This sends some of them into yet another commotion – mainly the few who had been from Sectors 1 and 2, who had supposed to be the closest to understanding the terminals compared to everyone else.</p><p>"Claude," Lorenz speaks, "don't tell me... This plan of yours—"</p><p>"Kaiju signals detected!" Ingrid's voice rings through as her Sentinel glides into the area, along with Marianne and Constance. "We've picked up their heat signatures heading towards the Airmid River."</p><p>"No time like the present, then," Claude remarks chirpily. "This is the perfect chance to set our strategy into motion. We can decide our team formation along the way, but since Lorenz has already so kindly volunteered—"</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"—we just need to decide on nine other members of the strike team to face this next wave!"</p><p>"Now look here, Claude, even though I'm honoured..."</p><p>Their voices trail off, their discussion lost to static as they activate their Sentinels, leaving the rest in silence with the one-sided squabble taken off the open shared comms. The others, focusing more on the battle that is to be at hand, begin transmitting to their Sentinels in order to head off to the next battlefield.</p><p>As Edelgard, who is among the last few remaining yet to transmit, is about to do the same, it is Lysithea's voice that gives all of those present pause.</p><p>"Are you sure you're certain about this?" she asks, the question more directed at Edelgard than anyone else. "You know that if we go through with this, there really is going to be no turning back."</p><p>Edelgard's expression hardens. "I'm certain," she replies.</p><p>Lysithea frowns. "Edelgard..."</p><p>"This is the only way forward, Lysithea," Edelgard says, determined.</p><p>Lysithea is quiet, for just a moment. "Even if it means putting a stop to the flow of time forever?"</p><p>"Wait," Bernadetta says, her voice going a pitch higher, "stopping... time? What?"</p><p>"The Aegis System might protect a designated area from all kaiju attacks," Lysithea continues, "but if we activate it in all of the terminals scattered throughout Fódlan, we'll be cut off from the underground gate. For good. That means we can never loop again, even if we wanted to. We'll all be stranded here, with whatever that will be left of this Fódlan at the end of the invasion, with no way of going back to the beginning to make things right again. To prevent this from even happening at all."</p><p>"I'm well aware," Edelgard replies calmly. "Lysithea... There is simply no other acceptable alternative. And you already know the reason for that, even if you don't realise it just yet."</p><p>Lysithea falls silent, with only her own thoughts to accompany her as she watches Edelgard swipe across her shoulder, the activation key glowing beneath her skin as she transmits to her Sentinel. From the corner of her eyes Yuri, who has been listening in in thoughtful silence, nudges Bernadetta before rubbing his fingers against his wrist, and with a squeak the timid girl follows suit, scrambling as she tries to bend down to reach for her ankle.</p><p>Only Linhardt remains, still and quiet. Lysithea tilts her head towards him. She doesn't know if she should be impressed that he hasn't yet fallen asleep standing.</p><p>"Linhardt..." she mumbles. "Do you think what Edelgard said is true? That I actually already know why she's going along with this?"</p><p>"How should I know?" he replies. "The only one who does ought to be you."</p><p>"...If that's the case," she whispers as she absently reaches up to her forehead, "is it supposed to be the me standing here now who does? Or is it...?"</p><p>Linhardt's expression remains blissfully blank at her words, betraying absolutely nothing.</p><p>"Have you eaten any cakes yet today?" he asks instead.</p><p>Lysithea's eyes widen and her hand returns to her side. "No," she says. She would remember if she did, after all. "No I haven't."</p><p>He gives a slight smile. "Well then, that answers your question, doesn't it?"</p><p>Her shoulders go slack as a liberating sensation swells deep within her. It takes all she can to resist letting it all out, to stay firm on her feet. The ground has never felt more real, in that moment.</p><p>"Linhardt..."</p><p>"Heyyyy hurry up!" Claude calls out through the comms. "We're gonna be leaving the two of you behind at this rate!"</p><p>"Oh I don't know, I think that sounds quite lovely," says Linhardt. "I can go and have a nice, long nap somewhere far away from the battlefield. Far, far away."</p><p>"...Not on my watch, you're not," Lysithea huffs. "Besides, any of your dream napping spots could be blown to bits at any moment. Are you sure you want to be caught up in something like that?"</p><p>There is no arguing that. Linhardt, quick to realise this fact, deflates.</p><p>"Ugh, fine. I guess I can have my nap once the world is finally kaiju-free." He starts rubbing the side of his neck, and the skin there begins lighting up. "I doubt I'd be able to sleep with all the commotion going on anyway. Might as well do what I can to hasten the process."</p><p>"And I," Lysithea speaks, her hand reaching for her elbow. <em>I might not have all the answers I need right now. But I'm not about to waste my time thinking on it when I can do something about the kaiju situation instead.</em> She swipes against it. "Can't have them rampaging all over and risk destroying the cake shops we have left. I haven't even gotten to eat any today yet!"</p><p>She can practically feel Claude smirk even though there's no way of seeing his visage while outside of the Sentinel. "That's the spirit, guys," he cheers. "Now let's get going. It's time to get Operation Aegis underway."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>- As with the 13 Sentinels game, each of the Sentinel Pilot has their own storyline all interwoven together to form the whole narrative. This scene touches on a bit on Lysithea's storyline (and Edelgard's and Linhardt's as well but it's very vague). Since I can't guarantee if I can ever write about it in the future, I'll just basically explain it here:</p><p>Lysithea (like Dimitri) had been experiencing the nanomachine separation due to the virus infecting the Sentinels. During the incident that resulted in the Sentinel Pilots being forcefully transmitted to other Sectors (i.e. the incident that shifted Dimitri to Felix's Sector), Lysithea had been sent to Edelgard's Sector, the Year 1185. This is how Lysithea and Edelgard first met. With the foreknowledge that the kaiju would invade, Lysithea and Edelgard basically started working together so that they could prevent the invasion. They failed, however, and were separated amidst the chaos. Lysithea then met Linhardt after being forced to shift to Sector 4 (due to Sector 5's destruction), and they started work on the terminals and the Aegis System. Eventually, Lysithea lost nearly all of her memories; she only managed to retain those related to her work on the Sentinels, the kaiju and the terminals. </p><p>- For a significant part of Edelgard's storyline she had been very strongly against the idea of Operation Aegis, because it meant robbing them all of a chance of rebuilding Fodlan anew through a loop. If Operation Aegis were to succeed, it meant living with whatever will be left of the current loop's Fodlan at the end of the kaiju invasion, meaning only the pilots themselves will remain as the sole survivors in a land that's sure to be ruined/wrecked with destruction at the end. However, because she eventually learned that there is a limit to the number of loops the world can make and that this current loop they are in *is* the final loop, she had to accept that Operation Aegis is practically the only viable option left. As of this current scene, her feelings about this are still very much mixed.</p><p>- Felix's link to the Aegis System was only discovered precisely because he had gone to wherever Dimitri had gone to when Dimitri had been fighting off the kaiju invasion alone back in Sector 3. By getting close to the terminals, Felix had unknowingly been activating Aegis wherever he went. That, coupled with Dimitri's miraculous levels of endurance as he went far beyond the operating limit of his Sentinel, is why Sector 3 didn't fall as quickly as Sectors 1, 2 and 5 did as Claude mentioned. Felix was actually not told of this at all until he met Boar.</p><p>- Also: the activation switch locations! I had fun trying to think these up :D I couldn't put in everyone's in this scene but I tried to include as many as possible haha</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. brain overload (dimitri & felix)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>As with the second chapter in this scene compilation, there are spoilers for Juro's lategame story by proxy because of a *certain character's* true identity being explicitly mentioned here. Additional spoilers warning for Megumi's lategame story by proxy as well because of what she did at the end of her route (to note that Felix's storyline is largely based off Megumi's, just with a lot more twists added).</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Felix."</p><p>Felix languidly turns to his left. Dimitri's face, full of heartfelt concern, greets him.</p><p>"Are you alright?"</p><p>Felix mumbles out something that barely passes as a response. It is only upon trying to sit up that he realises he has been laid on the ground. His head pounds. And pounds. And pounds. The world spins, his ears ring. Something burning rises up his throat.</p><p>He suspects that it must've shown, because Dimitri's frown only deepens further as he gently rests a hand on Felix's shoulder.</p><p>"You shouldn't be getting up so soon," Dimitri tells him. His voice, so quiet and tender. As though afraid that Felix would break merely at the sound.</p><p>The realisation sends a spike of anger like lightning coursing through his body, because he is not – Felix is not weak. He is not. Not so fragile that he would shatter from something – something as ridiculous as—</p><p>"Felix," he hears Dimitri say his name, again. More panicked, now – but for whom, and why? – and that's when Felix realises he's back fully supine on the floor once more, looking up at the sky. The pitch-black, starless sky. He could've sworn it had been filled with streaks of red and gold just moments before, though. Orbs of cosmological fire, descending from the unseen beyond like falling stars, here to collapse and explode and wipe them all out before they know it.</p><p><em>I won't let them</em>, he thinks, blearily. Distantly, he feels his fingers twitch.</p><p>That's right. He's supposed to be fighting. Not lying on the ground like this. They'll be coming any moment – why is he not fighting?</p><p>Someone grabs onto his hands, clasping them together. Trembling, ever so slightly.</p><p>He struggles in their grasp. Tries to tug his hands free – he needs to activate, <em>activate, activate</em> – but it is as though they've been tied to lead. Chained and shackled to an anvil and tossed into the deep, deep ocean, with no means to escape, where it's a struggle to even keep breathing.</p><p>His head, too, feels heavy. Crushed by an invisible pressure weighing down on him. His vision swims, going even darker than before.</p><p>"—lix," he thinks he hears someone say, "Fe... ...on't... ...th... ..tinel..."</p><p>Then all falls silent.</p><p>~*~</p><p>When Felix next comes to, it's to the welcoming sight of Lysithea seeming to poke at him, a grave frown etched onto her features as though she's trying to fix something broken and barely making scrapes of progress with it.</p><p>"I only have this one piece of advice to you," she says, clearly displeased, "in case you haven't already realised it by now: overextending your Sentinel's operating limit is an extremely foolish way to die. I didn't design an alarm to be built into the Sentinels only for you to completely disregard it."</p><p>"I didn't," Felix retorts, forcing himself to sit up. "Disregard it, I mean. It just... wasn't helping the situation." It's a good sign he actually does still remember that, but he's not so foolish to verbalise that point in Lysithea's face.</p><p>"Well, not like getting yourself out of commission helps anyone either," she says, levelling him with a look that's equal parts unimpressed and mildly concerned. "You're lucky your Sentinel managed to forcibly eject you just in time because you momentarily passed out. If you had spent any longer piloting it, suffice to say you wouldn't be talking to me right now."</p><p>"I'm well aware," Felix mumbles.</p><p>Lysithea's frown deepens. "In that case, why—"</p><p>"Oh," a third voice joins in, interrupting them.</p><p>Lysithea turns around. Felix looks up. Standing not too far off from them is Dimitri, holding two bottles of water that he must’ve scavenged off from somewhere in hand.</p><p>"Felix," he says. Slowly, hesitantly. "You're... awake."</p><p>The moments from before Felix had lost consciousness return to him in waves and he breaks away from Dimitri's gaze. "Obviously," he grunts.</p><p>"That's... Well." Dimitri quietly clears his throat. "That's good."</p><p>Lysithea makes a sound that's a mix between a sigh and a groan. "I can't take this," she says, getting up on her feet. "I'm going to go and check on the attack team's progress. I'll give you guys a call when they're done with the current wave. In the meantime," she looks to Felix, "you need to stay right where you are and rest up. If you want to stay in the fight, then you'd better do as I say."</p><p>Felix makes a face but doesn't protest against that.</p><p>Lysithea huffs and walks towards Dimitri. Felix can vaguely hear her mumble something to him before accepting one of the bottles that Dimitri hands out to her, and then she takes her leave, not bothering to turn back to give Felix another glance after that.</p><p>Then they fall into a painful silence, the atmosphere aching under the stifling pressure. Like an invisible thread holding the weight of the universe about to snap at a moment's notice. For what feels like eternity, neither of them says anything – Dimitri standing still where he is, and Felix sitting upright where he is, not moving a muscle. The thrum of the Aegis' protection over the area lulls through the air, like a dull metallic hum of a metaphorical shield barricading them from the rest of the world.</p><p>It is Felix who reaches his limit earlier than Dimitri does. He grits his teeth and tries to rise to his feet, ignoring the mild sting that lingers still at the back of his head. Faster than he can do so, however, Dimitri is already by his side, holding onto his arm in an attempt to stop him, a difficult expression on his face that Felix has no idea what to make out of.</p><p>"Let go," Felix tells him. It's the first thing that surfaces in Felix's mind, and the simmering emotion that swims at the depth of his gut is what propels him to say it.</p><p>"No," Dimitri says. "You need to rest, Felix."</p><p>"I'm not so weak that I can't stand on my own feet," Felix bites back. He tries to pull his arm free but Dimitri's grip remains strong, unwavering. The same iron grip that held onto Felix's hands, stopping him from returning to the field. "Let go, Dimitri."</p><p>"No, Felix," Dimitri repeats, firmer this time, almost like an order. "You heard Lysithea's words."</p><p>Felix glares at him. "I can stand and still remain where I am," he reasons. "I'm not going anywhere."</p><p>Dimitri draws in a breath, and in that moment his grasp weakens. "You almost did," he whispers.</p><p>If not for those words, Felix would've broken himself free. Instead he remains frozen, the will to struggle against Dimitri leaving him entirely.</p><p>In the end, he doesn't need to. Dimitri lets him go, leaving his arm to sag weakly by his side as he rises fully to his feet. He watches, blankly, as Dimitri lowers his head, looking at his own hand. The same hand that had held onto Felix's arm just seconds prior.</p><p>"Dimitri...?" Felix speaks.</p><p>Dimitri sighs. He clenches his hand, then opens it up, and clenches it again. Then he raises back his head, meeting Felix's eyes directly.</p><p>The corners of his lips curl into a small, almost bitter smile. "It's strange," he murmurs. "My memories of that time are still hazy so this only came to me in a vague flash, but... I seem to recall that something similar had happened to us, back when we were still in Sector 3. Only that our positions had been reversed, back then."</p><p>Felix narrows his eyes and looks away. "We've been through this, you idiot," he says, unable to keep himself from sounding harsh. "Whatever happened in the past ought to stay in the past. What we need to be focusing on right now is to get through the invasion."</p><p>"And live," Dimitri adds, as a reminder. "To overcome this crisis and live. That's what I had sworn to you, Felix, on that night I found you with your dagger through your hand. Don't you remember?"</p><p><em>Of course I do</em>, Felix wants to say. <em>Above all else, I will always remember that</em>.</p><p>What he does instead: "What does that have to do with anything?"</p><p>"You've always been one to speak through your actions," Dimitri continues, "so I didn't ask of you to do the same as what I had, that night. Because I didn't need to, to know of your resolve. But now I am beginning to doubt that."</p><p>Felix's eyes flash dangerously. "You mean you doubt me," he says, slow and tenacious as a wolf in hiding, closing in on its hunt.</p><p>Dimitri's expression stiffens. Considering. Then he shakes his head. "No," he replies, "I mean that I am doubting my own understanding. That I may have possibly made the wrong assumption."</p><p>"About what?" Felix challenges. He marches up in front of Dimitri's face and juts his chin up. "About what, Dimitri? What is it that you've made the 'wrong assumption' for?"</p><p>Dimitri does not reply immediately, electing to consider his words. Then, he says, quietly, with a great measure of care and deliberation: "I believe I have grossly underestimated the depth of your emotions in the face of this situation. Ever since the day I first held your hand… Ever since the day I vowed my heart to you. Ever since the day we promised to start anew." He pauses to draw in a breath. "I had, never once, truly understood it – until now."</p><p>There is nothing that Felix can think of to say to that. Nothing at all.</p><p>And while he has been so absorbed with and blinded by the storm of his emotions brewing at his words he fails to realise Dimitri reaching out for his hand once more, until Dimitri begins cradling it and brushing his fingers across the back of his palm where his activation key lies. Across the faint scar left behind by the dagger when Felix had taken the plunge and stabbed himself that day. After he had learned of the truth – all of it – from Boar. After he had realised the true extent of the consequences of his actions. After he had finally, finally found a way to fight.</p><p>He will always remember.</p><p>"And so this time, Felix," Dimitri says, almost like a whisper, "this time, let it be me to say this to you. To declare to you, here and now." He holds up Felix's hand and leans his head forward, until his forehead touches the back of Felix's palm. "Let me go with you."</p><p>Felix holds his breath. He doesn't dare retract his hand.</p><p>"Just as you wish to fight by my side, so do I, by yours," Dimitri says. "Just as you want, so badly, to protect all that you care so much for, so do I, for those that I care for. Just as you hold something so dear and important deep in your heart, so do I have something that I hold dear and important in my own heart as well."</p><p>"Dimitri..."</p><p>"So please, Felix." Dimitri's hold tightens, as though afraid to let go lest Felix slips away and vanishes if he does. "Don't ever push yourself to that extent. Never again. We have lost each other for far too many times. I – I wish for us to actually have this one last chance. To finally do things right."</p><p>Felix bites his lower lip, so momentarily overwhelmed that his mind draws up a blank and his voice completely fails him.</p><p>"We don't," he eventually manages, "we don't owe it to those who should be considered dead to want what they couldn't have. That's just... That's just ridiculous."</p><p>"Of course we shouldn't," Dimitri agrees. "But we do owe it to them for even being given this chance to begin with. And I, personally, want to treasure such a precious chance, because there is no other I want to share this with. No other, Felix, but you. The person you are now." He lowers Felix's hand and opens his eyes. They shine bright and blue, determined and hopeful. "And I know – I know you wish for the same."</p><p>He did. He does.</p><p>He always has.</p><p>"I'm not doing this because it is what Glenn... no, what the other Dimitri would wish for me to. Not because of his own unfulfilled regrets, nor trying to help him accomplish what he could not," Dimitri explains. "His memories may live within me now, but... my feelings are my own. My memories of you and what I have experienced are my own. And I have my own reasons for standing in battle, to bear all of the risks that entails." Then, he gives Felix a smile – a genuine, reassuring smile. Dazzling and radiant, yet muted in its brilliance, like the moon hiding behind the clouds of night, and Felix's heart leaps in his throat. "I am not so weak that I cannot stand on my own feet, either."</p><p>Felix's eyes widen as he stares at Dimitri in stunned silence. Stares, and stares – until he can't help it: he lets out a scoff, disgruntled and cynical, as a familiar heat rises to his cheeks.</p><p>Perhaps Dimitri is not the only one with a misunderstanding of some sort here.</p><p>"Don't take it the wrong way," he grumbles. "I didn't volunteer to take your spot on the frontlines in the previous battle because of you. I just wanted to destroy more Demonic Beasts, is all."</p><p>Dimitri's smile widens as he strokes against the back of Felix's palm once more. "Whatever you say, Felix."</p><p>"If you're both quite finished," Lysithea's voice cuts in, and Dimitri and Felix instinctively jolt in their skin and step away from each other as they look to her in shameful horror, which she barely even acknowledges, "I think the strike team managed to activate the Aegis and are about to head off towards the next terminal. We'd better take off, too, or we're going to get left behind."</p><p>"Oh! Um," Dimitri audibly clears his throat, "yes, we're more than ready to take our leave! Isn't that right, Felix?"</p><p>"Why are you even asking me," Felix says flatly.</p><p>"Excellent!" Dimitri follows through. "Thank you for the reminder, Lysithea. Let us get going, then."</p><p>"Alright," Lysithea replies. "To play things safe, I still think Felix shouldn't activate his Sentinel just yet. Not at least until we get to the next terminal."</p><p>Felix frowns. "But I feel—"</p><p>"So Dimitri, I'm going to need your help to take him there." She hands Dimitri a set of keys. "Sylvain left you his bike to use before he headed off into battle. He thought you might need it."</p><p><em>More like he wants us to owe him a favour</em>, Felix thinks resignedly. He's definitely going to get it from Sylvain for the stunt he pulled the next time they meet, especially after what Sylvain had said to him at the beginning of the invasion; this is only just the beginning of Sylvain's unusual brand of cruel punishment.</p><p>"Most appreciated," Dimitri says, gratefully, with a tilt of his head. "Rest assured, I'll make sure Felix stays on the bike and doesn't run off into his Sentinel." Then, as if to make his point, he wraps his fingers around Felix's right wrist, which Felix tries to shake off but to no avail.</p><p>Lysithea looks as though she wants to point out the obvious logical flaw in Dimitri's plan but refrains from doing so in the end. "Well, I suppose that's settled," she says instead. "I'll go further on ahead and transmit from there, then I'll lead you to the next terminal. You won't be able to see the map without being in your Sentinels, after all."</p><p>"Thank you, Lysithea."</p><p>"No need," she replies, smiling softly. "It's only the right thing to do, after all." And then she turns to take her leave, disappearing further into the sea of rubble and dust.</p><p>When he's fairly certain she's gone out of earshot Felix tries, again, to wriggle his hand free, but Dimitri has a grip made of steel, and so Felix ends up glaring down at Dimitri's fingers around his wrist instead.</p><p>"I thought we just established there won't be any need for either of us to coddle each other," he grumbles with a tinge of disdain.</p><p>"Hmm? Oh, no, this has nothing to do with that," Dimitri replies, sending that same smile in Felix's way. The smile that's distinctly Dimitri, one that Felix knows Dimitri reserves only for him, and Felix cannot help but bite the inside of his cheek as something blossoms in his chest. "I simply want to hold your hand for just a little bit longer. We don't really have many opportunities for that, after all, being in the Sentinels for as long as we do."</p><p>"Sap," Felix grunts.</p><p>"Only for you," Dimitri says warmly. It sends a tingle down Felix's spine.</p><p>"Ugh, just – shut up. Right now."</p><p>"I will, if you agree not to secretly activate your Sentinel."</p><p>Felix narrows his eyes at Dimitri. "And what will you do about it if I do? I feel perfectly fine."</p><p>Dimitri makes an expression that makes him look like a puppy that's just been kicked down. Felix feels absolutely nothing about this. Absolutely nothing.</p><p>"Oh," he says, as he, for some inexplicable reason, lets go of Felix's hand. There's a wistful look in his eyes. "I see. I understand. You are right, Felix, as you usually are."</p><p>...What?</p><p>"You are certainly free to do as you wish. I cannot stop you, after all." The corners of Dimitri's brows droop. Absolutely nothing, Felix reminds himself. "If it would make you happier to not remember anything, then..."</p><p>…<em>What.</em></p><p>"That— That's not it," Felix cuts him off. "You know that's not what this is about, you dumbass. I thought we just fucking talked about this."</p><p>Dimitri lets out a considering sound. "Did we, now," he says. "I'm afraid I can't seem to recall getting any clear answer from it. Perhaps you might like to do the favours of reminding me?" </p><p>‘No clear answer’, just what the hell is Dimitri trying to—</p><p>Oh.</p><p>Oh fucking<em> hell.</em></p><p>"…You’re trying to manipulate me," Felix deadpans once the realisation dawns upon him. "You’re trying to fucking manipulate me."</p><p>"That’s ridiculous." Despite his words, Dimitri doesn’t look overly surprised by such an accusation, though there’s no hiding the hint of bewilderment in his voice. "Why would I do something like that?"</p><p>"I don’t know – <em>you’re</em> the one doing it," Felix retorts. If Dimitri isn’t faking it and truly doesn’t realise what he’s doing, then that means… "Just— Just how much of that boar cat did you get inside your head? I thought all you got from him are his memories!"</p><p>Dimitri looks as though he’s at a loss. "I did. Believe me, Felix, when I say he and I are separate people, I do mean—" He cuts himself off as his eyes widen. "Wait, you can’t possibly be insinuating… that you and him…?"</p><p>"What? <em>No</em>! Why would you even think—" Felix is beginning to feel a headache that’s completely unrelated to his piloting the Sentinel from earlier starting. "Ugh, forget I said anything, let’s just— let’s just get moving already!"</p><p>"Wait! Felix!" Dimitri calls after him as he starts stomping off in an attempt to look for Sylvain’s moped. "Please, you can't just leave it like— Felix!"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>- Again, taking some liberties with the effects of brain overload and what goes on behind the scenes when a pilot reaches brain overload and is forced to sit out of battle. In this case, Felix actually pushed beyond his Sentinel's operating limit (though he didn't do this on purpose of course, he simply didn't want Dimitri to risk overextending his and in that rash moment failed to consider his own Sentinel's limit) and came incredibly close to the point of having his memories wiped, so the effects are more severe than what's presented in-game when playing through Destruction. </p><p>- To clarify further on Dimitri's words (about Glenn and the "work of fate at hand" in the previous chapter): once upon a time, in one of the previous loops, there had been another Dimitri and another Felix. They, too, had been in love with each other, but this Dimitri and this Felix never had a chance to express their feelings towards each other, for they had put it all aside in order to focus on saving Fodlan from utter destruction, with a promise that they would talk about it once the dust settled. The opportunity never came... and then it was too late. This Dimitri managed to survive in the future loops, but he would never be able to find his Felix anywhere anymore. Hence the regrets and wish to see the current loop Dimitri and Felix having the chance to live and to be happy (and to that end he would make use of the knowledge he had gained from his own time and experiences), because he couldn't have that for himself.</p><p>...Though if you're familiar with 13 Sentinels' story, you would know whose story this roughly parallels with and how it all ends, so you should know where I'll go with this eventually ;)</p><p>- I didn't mention this in the previous chapter, but Lysithea is actually the chief designer of the Sentinels, mainly focusing on the specifications, basic design elements and engineering etc. while Constance focuses more on the weaponry and arms that the Sentinels are equipped with. </p><p>- Felix's activation key is in his right hand, because of course it would be ;)</p>
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